NCI Research Specialist (Core-based Scientist) Award (R50 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 20 287

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 20 287

The NCI Research Specialist (Core-based Scientist) Award (R50, Clinical Trial Not Allowed), Funding Opportunity Number PAR-20-287, is a National Institutes of Health grant program created by the National Cancer Institute to support highly skilled research specialists who play essential roles in cancer research programs but are not positioned to be, or do not wish to be, independent principal investigators. The opportunity is aimed specifically at scientists working in core facilities, shared resources, or central scientific support units that underpin NCI-funded cancer research. In practice, this means the program is designed for people whose expertise and day-to-day work sustain multiple projects and investigators through specialized methods, instrumentation, data generation, consultation, and technical leadership, rather than for individuals building an independent, R01-style research portfolio.

A central purpose of this R50 mechanism is to create more stable and credible long-term career paths for exceptional core-based scientists. Many core staff scientists are critical to productivity and rigor across an institution, yet their positions can be overly dependent on the shifting availability of other investigators' grant funds. This award is intended to reduce that vulnerability by providing salary support and a level of autonomy that helps the specialist maintain continuity, contribute strategically, and continue advancing their expertise within an existing NCI-funded basic, translational, clinical, or population science cancer research program. The emphasis is on sustaining and strengthening the biomedical research enterprise by retaining specialized talent in roles that are often difficult to replace and that directly influence quality, reproducibility, and innovation across multiple research efforts.

The scope is broad with respect to scientific area, as long as the work aligns with NCI-funded cancer research. The key constraint is that this specific FOA does not allow clinical trials, meaning applications cannot propose conducting a clinical trial under this award. While the supported work may interface with clinical research environments or contribute to clinically relevant science (for example, biomarker assay development, genomics, biostatistics support, imaging cores, or biospecimen science), the award itself is not a vehicle to run an interventional clinical study.

Eligibility is expansive across U.S.-based organizational types, reflecting NIH's standard applicant categories. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) as well as certain tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments. The FOA also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, the announcement is clear about foreign restrictions. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components (as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed. In other words, the applicant organization and the supported work must be fully domestic within NIH policy limits for this FOA.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is a discretionary grant under NIH, categorized under education and health-related funding activities, and is associated with multiple CFDA numbers tied to NCI programs (93.393 through 93.399). The FOA record indicates it was created on 2020-08-26, with an original closing date of 2021-01-04. The excerpted listing does not provide an award ceiling or expected number of awards, so applicants would typically look to the full FOA text and NIH budget guidance for allowable costs, project periods, and any institute-specific considerations.

Overall, PAR-20-287 is best understood as a career-stabilizing support mechanism for high-impact core and shared resource scientists in cancer research. It prioritizes retaining specialized expertise within NCI-funded programs by providing salary support and professional independence appropriate to a staff-scientist style role, while explicitly excluding clinical trial activities and disallowing foreign applicants or foreign components.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NCI Research Specialist (Core-based Scientist) Award (R50 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, 93.397, 93.398, 93.399.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-08-26.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-01-04. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for PAR 20 287

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